Promises & Revelations
by Ushiromiya
Summary: Set in different timelines than the show, Mami and Kyouko take the spotlight of this story. The story tells the tale of how these two girls started with each other, and how they died side by side- until the timeline resets, and that's when things begin once again. But somewhere deep in their minds, they are aware of this, and are determined to change their tragic endings.
1. Chapter 1

"Mami-san, this cake is delicious!"

I giggled as I watched my adorable young apprentice drool over my homemade pastries.

"Well, thank you~ If you like it that much, there's no need for you to hold back. Besides, I can't finish the entire cake by myself anyway," I casually offered the rest of the treat to the red haired girl who sat adjacent to me. "Consider it a reward for defeating a witch."

Instantaneously, she put the fork in her hand down and rested it on the coffee table. She turned her head away, almost as if she were ashamed of something. I simply stared at her in confusion.

"Is there something wrong, Sakura-san?" I asked, concerned.

"Mami-san..." she mumbled quietly.

"What is it?" I pressed further, attempting to find out what was bothering her. "If this is about the cake, really, I'm not hungry-"

"No, it's not about that," she replied. She heaved a sigh so loud that it sent chills down my spine. "Are you sure this is okay?"

I blinked at my junior. Just what was she going on about?

"What do you mean?" Right about then, I heard the sound of a soft sniffle. There was no denying that Kyouko Sakura was the one crying. I silently watched as a single teardrop fell from her face and hit the table.

"I'm sorry, Mami-san. I'm really sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? There isn't anything you need to feel sorry about." Sakura-san shook her head. It didn't take long before more tears began flowing down her face.

"I feel like I've been a burden on you, Mami-san. I've done nothing but hold you back. After all, I _am _a new and inexperienced magical girl. All I can do is increase the risk of death for you, and yet, every day, you continuously shower me with all of these delicious desserts, and you've kept me under your wing. That's far more than what I could ever ask for."

"Sakura-san, that's enough. There is no reason for you to be thinking like that," I retorted bluntly. "We all start out somewhere. I know how it feels to begin this journey alone, and I can safely say that I'd much rather risk my life for you than to allow you to fight witches by yourself. Besides..." I leaned forward and clasped both of her hands in mine. "I _need_ you, Sakura-san. We need each other. Together, we can find out what our weaknesses are, and what our strengths are. You're... you're very important to me."

For the first time ever, Sakura-san looked me straight in the eye. Even though I, myself, was on the verge of crying, I had to hold back for the sake of keeping my sempai image up in front of my junior. I smiled at her, and much to my relief, she smiled back.

* * *

**Three Months Later, September 18th**

"You know, I think we're totally ready to take on the Walpurgisnacht all by ourselves."

I took a quick sip out of my cup of tea whilst gazing upon the town of Mitakihara from a high rise construction site. Sakura-san and I were watching the bright orange sun set for the evening.

"Getting ahead of ourselves now, are we?" I giggled. My apprentice blushed furiously, puffing her cheek.

"What, you don't agree with me? I mean, we make an amazing team! We pummeled that witch we just fought! We've both improved a lot. I doubt there's any witch out there that the two of us together can't defeat!" Sakura-san exclaimed with a proud grin on her face. "Besides," she continued, "I think the Walpurgisnacht can be considered our worst enemy... and I don't want to lose to the likes of it.

I've heard that the Walpurgis has killed countless amounts of people in the past... I don't want to let that happen again, especially not to the people I care about here. That's why... I want to believe that together, we can defeat that wretched witch."

I looked over to Sakura-san. Her eyes were gleaming, but perhaps that was due to the sun. Nevertheless, I could tell her resolve was firm. I had to admit, I was really glad that there was someone else in the world- especially another magical girl- who shared the same ideals as me. I gently put my tea cup down, and stood up in my spot.

"Well, we still have a long way to go," I said while stretching, "but I certainly don't believe it's impossible for us to defeat the Walpurgisnacht. With that being said, how about we make a little promise?"

"A promise...?"

"Let's promise each other that we'll defeat the Walpurgisnacht together- no, let's promise to protect this_ entire town_ together. I'm sure we can do it, especially when we have each other." Sakura-san stared at me in confusion for a moment, but once she processed my words, her head bobbed up and down excitedly. I stuck out my hand for a high five and she hit it.

* * *

**Two Months Later, December 14th**

Sakura-san hasn't showed up in Mitakihara City for the past month. I wonder where she could've gone, and what her reasons were for leaving.

I sighed and watched my breath form in the air, only to vanish seconds later. It was already winter. Snowflakes fell everywhere around me as I wandered through the downtown streets of Mitakihara. Just as I was getting deeper into my thoughts, I felt something jump onto my shoulder.

"Not going witch hunting tonight, Mami?" the familiar creature, Kyuubey, asked. I shook my head silently. "You know, if you keep this up, your soul gem will become tainted." I didn't bother responding to him. "If Sakura Kyouko's absence is bothering you that much, then why don't you go find her?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned towards to face Kyuubey.

"Do you know anything about her current situation? Why did she stop visiting Mitakihara out of the blue? ... Does she not need me any more?" I didn't want to think about the many possibilities as to why Sakura-san left unexpectedly. After all, if I did so, I'd surely make myself feel miserable. I'd ask myself, 'was it my fault?' or, 'does she hate me?', but that couldn't possibly be it, right?

I was so zoned out that I barely noticed the empty tears roll down my cheeks. After a moment of thought, I continued on my way back home. '_I'll visit Sakura-san as soon as possible. I swear on it.'_

"On to the next news item... A private residence in Kasamino City caught on fire, according to reports from nearby residents. Firefighters rushed to the scene and were able to quickly extinguish the fire, but one section of the building had burned down. Three bodies were discovered in the residence, all belonging to the members of the family that lived there. The bodies were identified as the members of the _Sakura family. _

According to reporters on-scene, the police consider it was likely that this was a forced multiple suicide, and are continuing with their investigation."

My heart nearly skipped a beat as I listened to the news report that was being broadcasted on a large television screen.

"Sakura...san?" My eyes widened in disbelief. Even though my legs felt weak, I couldn't ignore what I had just heard. I mustered up all of my strength and ran towards the direction of Kasamino City.

* * *

**A/N: **Firstly, the introduction of this is somewhat based off of, "The Different Story", but I'll be tinkering with multiple timelines involving Kyouko and Mami in the later chapters. I do realize that Mami calls Kyouko, "Sakura-san", a lot, but she addresses her this way, so... (I do what I want). Reason why I'm not continuing this chapter is because in the next chapter, I'll be starting with Kyouko's perspective, and I didn't want to mix in multiple POVs in one chapter.

Anyway, this is NOT a novelization of, "The Different Story". I'll be including an "original" plot line, but for now, the intro will be similar to the actual manga. Hope you all enjoy. Favourite / follow / review if you'd like. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**December 1st**

"A witch! A witch! She's a witch!"

"NO! SHUT UP! LEAVE ME ALONE!" I shouted while covering my ears with both of my hands, pressing as hard as possible to block the sounds of the hypnotized mob standing outside of my father's office door. My back slid down the cold wooden door until I fell onto my knees. Why? Why did it come to this?

"All of this time... it was all a lie..." I heard my father say on the other side of the door. My head began to pound violently, and I could feel my palms start to sweat. '_Dad, I'm your own daughter! I'm NOT a witch! Aren't we family? Why are you doing this?!"_

I could feel the door pounding against my back from the angry uproars of the mob and their attempts to break my only line of defense down. '_This isn't good... I can't hold out for much longer!'_

"Kyouko, you have brought great dishonor to my family. It'd be much better if you were-"

"DON'T SAY IT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I knew what was to follow, but I couldn't bear to hear it. At least, not from the person who I was sacrificing my life for.

"DEAD!" Suddenly, the door behind me broke open, but I wasn't there to see it- I could only hear it as I quickly escaped the church through an open window. It was times like this when I was extremely grateful for having the ability to create illusions, but then again, if I never became a magical girl in the first place, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

I sprinted as far away from the church as possible. When I ran out of breath, I jumped into the nearest alley to rest and to regain my breath. There was nowhere else left for me to go. I could only lean against a chilly metal pipe until the sun began to rise.

* * *

**December 14th**

It had been two weeks since my father sent an angry mob looking for me. After that night, I returned home, and much to my relief, the attack was called off, but one thing didn't change: my father's ambition to kill me.

Over the past few weeks, he grew into the habit of drinking and performing acts of violence. He would repeatedly hurt my mother and my little sister, Momo, but for some reason, he never came directly at me. However, only being able to stand by and watch my family get hurt was more painful than receiving the damage myself. It seemed like my dad found out about my weakness.

I sat alone in my dark room with my arms wrapped around my legs, rocking back and forth. My clock that hung on my wall ticked on and on to no end. When was this nightmare going to stop?

My train of thought was immediately interrupted the moment I heard an ear-piercing shriek coming from one of the other rooms. I leapt up from my seat, and swung my door wide open.

"No, daddy! Please, stop hurting mommy! That'll kill her!"

My eyes widened when I heard Momo pleading for mother's life. Just what was happening anyway? I wanted to investigate further, but something stopped me from moving.

"Kyouko, don't!" Kyuubey advised as I watched him step out of the shadows. "If you go, your own life may be at stake!" I tried my best to choke back my tears. Deep down, I knew he was right, but I couldn't just leave my family.

"Kyuubey," I started.

"What is it?"

"I just want to say that... I'm well aware that the chances of me making out of this church alive are very slim... but hell, if I can do something- anything- to save my family, I'll do it, even if I fail, and even if I die. My wish was not intended to cause the people I love so much pain. Hehe, it's ironic, isn't it? I wanted my wish to do quite the opposite. But Kyuubey, if there's one thing I want you to do for me, it's to tell Mami-san that I'm really sorry. I want to apologize for leaving."

Kyuubey nodded understandingly. I smiled at him, and petted his head in gratitude before taking off to find the source of the scream.

I creaked open the door to my father's office and took a peek inside. My heart nearly skipped a beat as I saw Momo jumping up and down by my father's feet, waving her arms around and begging him not to hurt my mother any further. He stared blankly at Momo for a moment, but didn't hesitate to slap her across the face, sending her light body flying towards a bookshelf, tumbling it over and ultimately crushing her. A cry of pain was soon released.

I felt my blood begin to boil. As much as I wanted to transform into a magical girl right then and there, I was soon reminded that I stood no chance against my father. No matter how tough my resolve was, there was no denying that my father knew me best. He knew what to use against me. I had no chance of living if I acted brashly.

I could only stand by and watch as my father walked up to my weak and brittle mother who was on her knees, bleeding from her head. He pulled out a pocket knife from his long jacket. That was when I had enough. Maybe it was stupid of me to attempt to stop my father, but he was merciless, and much like a witch, if he wasn't stopped, he'd hurt more people.

I transformed into a magical girl, and kicked the door down, revealing my presence to my family. I pointed my trusty spear towards my father's neck. Everything in the room stopped for a brief moment, until the silence was killed by a maniacal laughter coming from my father.

"You say you fight those malevolent witches who kill people. You say you're on the good side, and that you're fighting for justice, but yet, you're pointing a weapon at my throat, threatening to kill me. Just what makes you think that you're any different than a witch, then?" he said in a playful tone. There was no doubt that he was simply testing me. I wasn't going to fall for that this time.

Or at least, that's what I was telling myself. If what he said didn't really bother me, I should've had no troubles with finishing him off... but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to pierce him with my spear.

I lowered my weapon, and stared at him scornfully. He simply chuckled, and continued to speak.

"Kyouko," he said. I flinched at the mention of my name. "I have no intention to kill you."

It took me a moment before I fully processed what he had just said. No intention to kill me? For what reasons? I offered him a puzzled look, pressing him to go on.

"You see, I figured, killing you would be too easy. It would end your suffering quite easily and swiftly. That's not what you deserve. No, you deserve to live. To see the world fall around you. To feel what it is like to be lonely. To be stuck with endless guilt and regret for being the sole cause of my depression, and soon, the deaths of your loved ones."

He walked over to my mother, and open up the pocket knife. I wanted to stop him, but none of the limbs in my body would move. Without even a second of hesitation, he swung the knife down, square into my mother's chest, and without a doubt, killed her.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream, but nothing would escape my throat. I was too stunned to move. My father stared blankly at me, mumbling a solemn farewell before he stabbed himself in the throat, ending his own life.

It was then when I could finally move my body, but all I could do was fall onto my knees. I choked on my tears as I kneeled on the ground in the room where all three of my family members laid motionless.

* * *

**A few hours later - December 14th**

"What's wrong, Kyouko?"

I sighed as I stared hard at the moon that was brightly shining. Kyuubey walked around me in circles. The two of us were sitting out by the church stairs as snow peacefully fell around us.

"I can't believe it. A wish that was meant to bring happiness turned my entire family around, and now everyone is dead. Everyone except me..." I answered with a sigh. "A selfless wish leads to pain and destruction, it seems."

"I wouldn't necessarily go about blaming yourself for it. You humans are just strange creatures in general," said Kyuubey in a casual tone. I grunted in agreement. Before I was able to delve deeper into my thoughts, I felt my soul gem reacting. Kyuubey and I both leapt up.

"A witch," I mumbled. '_Great, at a time like this?'_

"It's about to hatch. I wonder how we didn't notice this before," Kyuubey informed. It didn't take very long before a witch barrier began to form right before my eyes. Suddenly, I heard Kyuubey gasp. "This isn't like other witches, Kyouko. I can sense that it doesn't want to be binded in a barrier... Watch out!"

Sure enough, the barrier broke and a white light shone in my eyes, hindering my vision. The witch appeared and let out a cry._  
_

"It broke out of its barrier?!" I shouted in shock. "But then... we can't fight it here! It'll destroy the church!"

"There's nowhere else you can fight it without getting innocent people hurt," said Kyuubey. I gritted my teeth in frustration. I was not given much of a choice. I quickly transformed into a magical girl once again, and stood straight in front of the large witch.

The witch had a pink clover as a head and a gigantic body with a huge waistline. It was wearing a disheveled long dress that appeared to be from the early 1900s. It was nearly five times my size and height. I gulped as I rashly charged head first, aiming for the witch's stomach. I pushed myself off of the ground and stuck my spear into the desired location. It fell back, screaming in pain, but it quickly regained its composure. Without hesitation, I attempted to summon duplicates of myself using my illusion magic.

But that was when I realized...

I forgot how to use my magic.

I stood in one spot in disbelief, but that gave the witch a chance to take a swing at me with its arm. I flew across the plane and crashed straight into the church. I tried to stand up again, but my body was in a lot of pain. I glanced over at my left arm, only to notice it spewing out blood. I saw Kyuubey walk up beside me.

"You can't use your magic any more, it seems," said Kyuubey. I nodded with all of the strength I had left. "In case you're wondering, the reason for it is simple: because your wish of wanting people to listen to your father's preaching became void, so did your magic. With the disappearance of this power, you will forever be at a huge disadvantage, you know."

"Ah, is that so..." I whispered. It hurt a lot to even talk. In the distance, I could hear the witch coming closer. An overwhelming adrenaline rush soon began to take over me. '_... I can't die here.'_

I used my undamaged hand to wipe my face. No matter how much it hurt, I tried to stand up. I wasn't going to die then and there, but if it came to it, I'd rather die fighting for justice than to be finished off without even trying.

The witch stood high and mighty in front of my eyes once again. It raised its arm and swung like it did last time. I managed to jump and tumble away from the strike. Just as I complimented myself on surviving, there was something that I noticed.

The witch had hit a power line.

Without even being given a moment to think, it exploded behind me. The church began to collapse piece by piece. The witch escaped as quickly as possible, while I was being left to panic. I ran for my life as fast as I could. As I sprinted, I noticed smoke chasing after me. Thankfully, it wasn't enchanted smoke.

But that was when I realized that a fire had started.

'_DAMMIT! I can't let this place burn down. I need to save my family's bodies. They deserve a proper burial... Where would I even go if I lost this place?' _Despite the thoughts that were running through my head, I knew I couldn't go back. If I did, I'd surely die.

Thus, I continued to run until I saw the exit. Much to my surprise, I made it out alive. I took a few steps away from the church, and watched it burn down.

"Kyouko, behind you!" I heard Kyuubey shout at me. I quickly turned around. My eyes caught sight of two hovering familiars that were prepared to come at me. I leapt into the air and attacked both familiars in one strike, killing them, but as soon as I did, one of them began to morph into something much larger.

"The witch...?!" I exclaimed under my breath. The clover headed witch threw yet another strike at me with its demonic arms, sending me flying again. This time, I landed on the snow bed with my front facing upwards. I gazed at the open sky as snowflakes continued to fall around me. '_So this is what it feels like to be on the verge of death, huh...'_

I pulled out my soul gem with the last of my strength, and took a peek at it. I was not surprised to find my what used to be a beautiful shining red soul gem slowly starting to blacken and become tainted.

"There is nothing I can do any more, huh," I mumbled my last words to myself, "I'm sorry, father, mother, Momo... and Mami-san. I really didn't want it to end this way, but all I can do now is accept my fate and die."

And with that, my eyes began to waver. Darkness was catching up to me. The pain in my body began to feel more and more like a dream.

...

"SAKURA-SAN, WAKE UP!"

I felt someone shaking my body back and forth. There was someone calling my name repeatedly in between sobs. I cracked one eye open to see who it was, and immediately, the shaking stopped as our eyes met.

"Mami...san?" I said in a raspy tone. My throat felt dry and was still in a lot of pain, but I hoped my voice was still audible. Mami-san stared at me, surprised. Suddenly, she began to cry even more than she did before. She latched me in for an embrace.

"Thank goodness you're okay... You're hurt aren't you? There's blood on your arm, and even on your face. You're trembling. You must be cold. You must be wondering where the witch went, right? I defeated it and purified your soul gem with its grief seed. I really should've came to you sooner. I should've just asked what was wrong instead of sit around, waiting for you to come by again. I'm sorry, Sakura-san. I've been a failure of a sempai... But I'm glad that you're still alive."

I stayed in Mami-san's arms for a while. We both sat in the snow in silence. Finally, I couldn't hold it in any more. My head was pounding to no end, my hands were shaky. My heart was beating faster than I could ever imagine, and the feeling of pain returned to me. Right then and there, the reality hit me- and hard. I wrapped my own arms around Mami-san, and stuck my head in her shoulder.

And with that, I began to cry.


	3. Chapter 3

**December 15th - Midnight**

"Feeling better?" I asked a young red haired girl who sat on my couch. Her eyes were devoid of emotion, but that was no surprise, especially after what had happened. She nodded, but her head moved so stiffly, much like a robot would.

"Thank you for lending me your clothes, Mami-san," she replied, expressing her gratitude, but her voice still sounded empty. I stared at her with great concern, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Sakura-san..." I started, "I know you don't want to hear it, but I have to know: what do you plan to do from here on out? From what I understand, you have nowhere else to go, am I correct?"

I felt a rush of guilt overtaking me the moment the words left my mouth. I didn't want to sound so blunt, nor did I want Sakura-san to think of such things so soon.

"I'll come up with something," she responded blankly.

"How about staying with me for a while?" I suggested as I picked up a few plates of leftover cake from the coffee table and made my way to the kitchen.

"No thanks." I stopped in my tracks with a tray in my hands.

"... I figured as much," I said meekly. Even though I knew what her response was going to be, I couldn't help but feel a little hurt.

"Sorry," she apologized. I turned around from where I was standing, and gave her a smile, though I could tell she knew I was simply feigning it.

"There's no need to apologize. I can't force you into doing something you don't want to do. Anyway, I'm just really worried about your well being. I don't want you to end up on the streets, malnourished and... lonely."

"Isn't it you who'll end up lonely?" Sakura-san mumbled quietly. My heart skipped a beat. That clearly wasn't meant for me to hear, but she couldn't have made it more obvious. I shook my head. I must've been tired. What she said was a mere auditory hallucination, that's all. Thus, I pretended that I never heard anything.

"It's getting pretty dark, huh... Are you sure you don't want to stay for just one night?" I offered again. She waved her hand around as a sign of refusal. "Sakura-san... really, you don't have to hold back."

"Mami-san, I've already made up my mind. I don't need you to plead." I flinched. Pleading? Was that what I was doing? I thought about it for a while... and as much as I didn't want to admit it...

She was right.

But that was only because Sakura-san and I had one very important thing in common: our sense of justice. We fought witches, not expecting anything in return save for a few smiles here and there. We wanted those monsters to perish from Earth so everyone could live happily. We wanted to protect the lives of as many people as possible. We weren't like most other magical girls. We didn't only look for witches; we also hunted for familiars.

True, only witches dropped grief seeds, but there was no denying that familiars were fully capable of harming innocent people as well. As magical girls, we lived to protect, not to fight for our own good. Because of this connection, I wanted her to stay with me.

I wanted the one magical girl who shared my ideals to stay by my side.

After a long while, Sakura-san stood up from her seat. She looked so pale, even from a distance. Was she really going to be fine from now on?

"I think it's time for me to go," she announced. I nodded. Besides, what else could I do? I've tried asking- begging, even, and I also subconsciously bribed her. I grabbed her coat from the nearby couch and handed it to her. She put it on, and together, we walked out of my apartment.

We stopped at a lamppost in the middle of nowhere. Sakura-san had asked for me to drop her off there and leave her. As concerned as I was, I knew I was in no place to argue any more. Just as I was about to leave, Sakura-san decided to speak up.

"Mami-san..."

"What is it?" I responded, eager to hear what she was going to say next, but at the time, I didn't realize her next reply would be the last thing I wanted to hear coming from her.

"Wouldn't it be better if we just ignored the familiars and went directly for the witches?"


	4. Chapter 4

_'Don't give me that look...'_

I was a coward. I couldn't force myself to look at Mami-san, but despite that, I could feel her eyes staring straight at me. She was probably disappointed, betrayed even. I could tell what she was feeling, and yet, I couldn't bring myself to apologize to her- let alone say anything.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked. I gritted my teeth. I didn't want to say anything more... I really didn't. But even so, my mouth seemed to have a mind of its own.

"Wouldn't it be better... if we just went after the witches? The familiars don't drop anything... Why bother hunting for them and get nothing in return when we can wait for them to turn into witches and end up with a grief seed?" Mami-san took a step back. I saw her face starting to pale, but maybe, just maybe, that was due to the cold weather.

"But Sakura-san... even familiars hurt innocent people too, you know..." she mumbled meekly. Her eyes began to tear up a little bit.

"Tch," I scoffed, "I completely forgot about that stupid, '_let's protect the world!_', attitude of yours."

"Is it so wrong to want to protect people who should have no involvement with this witch business in the first place? Anyone can get hurt at any time. Is that not enough of a reason to-"

"THEN WHAT ABOUT YOURSELF?!" I cried with unnecessary volume. Mami-san looked surprised, so I felt obligated to continue. "What about us magical girls? Do we have to sit around and use up all of our magic hunting down these familiars that do us no good? Hell, if that's what you want, then our ideals clash. You see, if there was something that I learned, it's that you shouldn't have to use magic for anyone but yourself."

"Sakura-san, I understand your pain about your family, but-"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" I blew up again. This time, my frustration was genuine. What was she doing, purposely pushing my buttons like that? "Having your parents die in an inevitable car accident is completely different from being the sole cause of your family's death. I was foolish for wasting a wish on someone else. Doing something as stupidly selfless as that only causes grief and suffering. You don't understand such a thing, Tomoe Mami. The feeling of overwhelming regret, pain, misery, grief. You don't know what it's like having to carry on my days knowing that I was the reason why my father felt these very feelings in his last moments as well. Mami-san, you are too naive and too kind for your own good. Sorry, but I'll be going solo from here on out."

I turned around and began to walk away, but just then, I felt someone grabbing onto my arm with a very firm grip.

"I won't let you go alone," she said, her voice noticeably shaking. "You're obviously hurting on the inside, and you need someone to comfort you- whether it be me or someone else, you musn't take off by yourself."

I tried to shake her arm off, but it was evident that she was not going to give up without a fight. If that was what she wanted, then that was what she was going to get.

"You're going to do this the hard way, aren't you?" I replied with a sinister grin on my face. Instantly, I transformed into my magical girl outfit. Mami-san stood in silence for a few seconds, but she eventually snapped back into reality. Wiping away her tears, her clothes quickly turned into a familiar looking dress.

"You're one handful of a kouhai, you know!" she declared, pointing a musket straight at my head.

"Sorry about this, senpai!"


	5. Chapter 5

We were supposed to go witch hunting together. We were supposed to be partners.

We were supposed to be friends...

So why did it have to turn out like this? Sakura-san, I can tell that you are hurting on the inside, so why must you insist on taking care of everything alone? As your senpai, I can't let you go. That's why I intend on winning this fight.

Sakura-san quickly leapt away from my musket that was pointing at her head. Without a second to waste, she readied her spear and lunged directly at me. I dodged right in the nick of time, and snuck around behind her.

"Regale!" I shouted the name of my ribbon attack, which came out of the ground and seized the red haired girl. I could hear her scoff scornfully.

"Is this all you've got?" she questioned playfully. I flinched. I had totally forgotten about her Rosso Phantasma spell.

But for some reason, she never used it.

She stayed binded within my grasp for a few minutes before letting out a sigh of exasperation.

"You know, Mami-san, I think I know why you want me to stay so badly," she started. I raised my eyebrow in curiosity. Did she really know what I've been thinking this entire time? "It's because you don't want to be left alone. That's your biggest weakness, isn't it? Without a family, it must be pretty lonely. On top of that, you have no friends from school because of this whole magical girl ordeal. If that's not enough, after you lose me, you'll have no one to stay by your side to accompany you any more."

"Eh...?" I heard myself whisper under my breath. How did she know...?

"But you know what, Mami-san? I don't want to be a toy of yours any more. I don't want to be used just to alleviate your loneliness. I have my own life, my own thoughts and my own feelings too, you know. Unlike you, I can survive on my own. I'm not like you, so stop grouping me with yourself," Sakura-san said blankly.

I took a few steps back in shock. I barely noticed that my ribbons had been untied, freeing the other magical girl. She landed on her feet, and turned towards me with a crude look on her face. What surprised me the most was not her cruel words, but instead, the lack of expression in both her voice and her face. I simply stared at her as I watched her slowly raise her spear, pointing it directly at my neck.

"This is checkmate, Mami-san," she declared. "This game is over."

I let out an involuntary gasp. She lowered her weapon as I lowered my gaze, our eyes no longer meeting. She casually placed the spear atop of her shoulder, and began to walk away.

"Best of luck to you in the future, Mami-san," she mumbled almost incoherently. Her voice sounded oddly shaky. As she walked away, I let out my last words to her.

"Please... try your best to survive. Remember everything I've taught you... And most of all, please don't forget about the good times we've had together, okay?" I could hear her let out a grunt, symbolizing that she acknowledged what I had just said. When she was gone, I got back up onto my feet, but it didn't take me long to collapse again. Soon, I felt a drop of water streaming down my cheek. It couldn't have been from my eyes, right?

"It's starting to rain..." I muttered to myself. "Better get home quickly before it starts to pour."


	6. Chapter 6

**One Year Later: September 14th - After school (Mami's apartment)**

_CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK._

I groaned as I heard my front door being knocked on. I raised my head from my arms that were laying atop of the coffee table.

"A dream...?" I murmured to myself as I began to remember the contents of my dream. Why did I suddenly have a dream about Sakura-san...? I sluggishly got up from my spot and walked towards my door. Before I was able to place my hand on the doorknob, a knock came again.

"Mami-san! Mami-san, are you in there? We need you!" I jumped back in surprise. The voice coming from the other side seemed too familiar.

"Kaname-san?" I asked. I quickly opened the door, and sure enough, she was standing there, looking out of breath.

"Thank goodness you're here, Mami-san! Listen, we need you to come quickly! There's a witch that's about to hatch at the hospital!" she exclaimed. Another witch?

"I understand. Let's get going immediately," I replied. It was tough having to keep up my senpai image. In truth, I was very scared. The possibility of dying by the witch's hands is one thing, but to have to fight alone is another. However, I didn't want to disappoint my kouhais. I had to pretend with all of my strength that I was not scared for anything to come.

It didn't take us very long to reach the hospital. Kaname-san instantly took me to where the witch barrier was.

"Kyuubey, can you hear me?" I asked through telepathy.

"Loud and clear. Get in here as quickly as possible. The witch hasn't hatched yet, but it's about to. Try not to use too much magic while in the barrier or else you'll wake the witch up," he replied.

"Got it."

"Sayaka-chan, are you holding up okay?" Kaname-san asked, sounding concerned. I had to admit, I was a little jealous. It's not like I've ever had friends worry about my well being before...

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I was a little scared, but now that Mami-san's here, I feel reassured," Miki-san responded. I flinched a little bit. I began to feel a little stressed out from the pressure I was receiving, but I tried not to let that get to me. I prepared myself by taking a couple of deep breaths in, and exhaling.

"Are you ready?" I asked Kaname-san. She nodded her head firmly. Even though she looked like she was confident, I could clearly see her legs shaking. I reluctantly opened the barrier, and allowed both her and myself in.

We traveled through the barrier, trying to stay as silent as possible. We walked through the silence, up until we reached a peculiar looking bridge- and that's when Kaname-san decided to speak up.

"You're really amazing, Mami-san. You're holding up so well even in an environment like this, whereas I've been nervous this entire time," she said with a sweet giggle. I stopped in my tracks and stared at her in disbelief.

"Eh...? You really think so...?" I questioned her.

"Mhm!" she replied, shooting a smile at me. I looked away, not allowing myself to make eye contact with her.

"... You're kind of off, though..." I tried to laugh it off, but Kaname-san could easily see through this.

"What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled. I heaved a sigh.

"... To tell you the truth..." I started, unsure if I was willing to press on with more information... but I knew there was no turning back. "I'm not really that strong senpai you think I am. I'm always scared to fight these witches alone. I'm really scared at the prospect of dying at any moment, and I'm always afraid that someone will end up getting hurt because of me. In reality, I'd be very weak if it weren't for you and Miki-san. I'm not really courageous, I'm just someone who must fight witches against my own will in order to prevent myself from feeling hurt. I'm really no different than anyone else, and if anything, I'm probably weaker than the average person. Sounds crazy, right?"

Once again, I tried to laugh it off in order to brighten the mood, but Kaname-san wouldn't buy it. She gave me a serious stare. She shook her head.

"I had no idea that you were going through this, Mami-san... But that still doesn't change my opinion if you," she said in a kind tone. I stared at her, surprised. "You're still a cool magical girl to me. You'll still always be my senpai- no, you're my friend, Mami-san. You're not weak, you're very strong to have been able to put up with what you have gone through for such a long time."

"A friend, huh..." I smiled at the idea of having my first real friend in a long time. So that's how it was... Kaname-san accepted me this entire time, I just didn't notice it. I giggled at my kouhai.

"Thank you, Kaname-san, it makes me happy to hear that," I admitted. "Come on, I think we should get going before time runs out." Kaname-san grunted in agreement.

"Mami, Madoka, the witch is about to hatch!" Kyuubey warned the pair as they sprinted towards the door to the witch.

"We'll be there soon," I assured them. It took us no more than a few minutes to find Kyuubey and Miki-san. I quickly transformed into my magical girl self, and braced myself for the worst to come. Soon, the ground began to shake as the door swung open violently in front of us, taking us straight to the witch.

I took a good look around us, noticing that the walls were covered in everything sweet, such as donuts, cakes, and other baked goods. It didn't take me very long to notice the location of the witch- which was sitting on top of a very tall chair. The witch looked like a doll as it stayed motionless in one spot.

"Mami, watch out!" Kyuubey exclaimed. Many, many familiars came hopping towards me. Without hesitation, I summoned a load of muskets around me with my hat. I picked up each musket one by one, shooting each and every last familiar that flung themselves at me. My body felt as light as a feather, almost like a ballerina's, as I twirled around and finished off the familiars. Before long, I found myself staring directly at the witch, which was still in the same position as it was before. With a confident smile, I summoned my final musket which was large and was able to defeat any enemy with just one shot. I pointed it directly at the doll-like witch, and shouted out the name of my attack.

"Tiro Finale!"

A beam shot out of my musket as it pierced through what appeared to be the stuffing of the doll. Feeling accomplished at another job well done, I turned over to where Miki-san and Kaname-san were hiding, but for some reason, they gave me a look of horror.

"Mami, behind you!" Kyuubey shouted. I quickly turned around, and my eyes caught sight of a giant caterpillar hovering straight above me, seemingly ready to strike.

"Huh...?" I muttered intelligently. It took me a while to register that I was about to become its prey.

I was going to die.


	7. Chapter 7

It's not like I hated Mami-san or anything. I didn't mean to betray her, but I saw no other choice. In my defense, I was doing her a favour.

I was protecting her from getting hurt.

For starters, if I had stayed with her, I would've held her back due to the loss of my magical ability. Knowing Mami-san, she'd probably sacrifice her life trying to save me if it came to it, and I'd never forgive myself if that happened. Even though I may have said some harsh things to her that day, there was no way I'd let her die.

There was no way I'd allow my first friend to die.

* * *

**September 14th, Mitakihara Park**

"Tch," I scoffed to myself as I casually stuffed another pocky stick into my mouth. I pulled out my soul gem, which was emanating a familiar bright red color. "Another witch? What is with this grief filled city?"

"Kyouko, maybe you should check it out?" Kyuubey spoke into my mind telepathically. "It's definitely a witch, so I'm sure this'll spark your interest. The barrier is close by too."

I took a glance at a clock that was attached to a lamp post. The hands showed that it was only 3 pm- which meant I still had a little more time before Mami-san's dismissal time. I got up from where I was sitting, and brushed any dirt off of my shorts. _  
_

"I guess I'm in the mood for another grief seed," I responded as I placed my soul gem in the palm of my right hand. Using Mami-san's advice from the past, I began to search for the location of the witch.

* * *

**(Flashback)**

"Mami-san," I said while chewing on a piece of deliciously made strawberry shortcake. "How did you get so good at tracking down witches? I mean, after the first witch I tried to fight ran away, it took me a whole month to find it again."

Mami-san giggled in the same way she always did. She grabbed a sheet of tissue paper, leaned over the table and wiped my lips with it. I stared at her for a moment, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Well, you see, after a while, I found out that witches often like to hide themselves in secluded, grief-filled areas. In other words, they like to cower in areas where dark emotions linger. For example, a hospital would be a good place to check, as well as cemeteries, or areas with high suicide rates. I'd assume this is because witches live off of these sad and hateful feelings. I suppose that's why the eggs they drop are called 'grief seeds'," she explained thoroughly.

"T-that's so amazing, Mami-san. You're able to learn from every little detail," I praised her in awe.

"Well, with you being my apprentice, I'm sure you'll gradually start to pick things up on your own sooner or later."

"Maybe..."

* * *

"Here it is," said Kyuubey as he leapt off of my shoulder. We stood in front of Mitakihara General Hospital, where a visible grief seed was planted on the wall.

"Looks promising," I mumbled as I carefully examined the grief seed. "Though it doesn't look like the witch has hatched yet."

"I suggest you avoid using magic inside the barrier or else it'll wake the witch up. But then again, your magical ability has lessened ever since that day, so I doubt you'll cause any major magical disturbances." I placed my soul gem directly in front of the grief seed. Immediately, a portal opened up on the wall, welcoming me inside. I took a step in, and began to explore the dungeon.

* * *

**A/N: **So my more recent chapters have been pretty short. Rest assured, I'll make my future chapters (hopefully) longer. I have an idea about where I'm going at this point in the story, so stay tuned. Things have been (and will continue to) gradually go off track from, "The Different Story", to offer originality to my readers. There still will be some references and copy & pastes here and there, but from here on out, a majority of the plot will be original.

Also, if you are confused, this scene takes place before Mami gets called for by Madoka.

Please favourite / follow / review (if applicable). Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8

"What a large barrier," I muttered to myself while climbing up a large hill. The barrier itself seemed a little ominous with all kinds of sweets dangling around, with cake icing on the ground and creepy looking familiars dancing in the background that seemed ready to pop out at any moment. It almost seemed like a child etched their fantasy world and trapped me inside of it.

I continued to wander around for what felt like hours on end, but there were no familiars, nor were there signs of the witch.

'_How suspicious...'_ I thought to myself. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard a gunshot in the distance. '_No way. I thought I was the only one in this place!' _

Feeling frustrated, I began to run towards the source of the sound, ready to fight whoever was trying to snatch this grief seed away from me. As I ran, I heard one gunshot after another. It didn't take me too long before I reached what appeared to be the door to the witch- which had been opened already. I scoffed to myself. There was no point in fighting a witch that was found by another magical girl, so I decided to head back into civilization.

"Tiro Finale!"

I stopped in my tracks as the sound of a familiar battle cry resonated within my ears. Could it be...?

I turned around and ran up towards the door. My eyes widened as I saw a girl with blonde drill hair posed alongside her large musket, ready to shoot it at a doll like witch. I stood aside, making sure to hide myself carefully as I watched Mami-san fight.

Within the blink of an eye, a large beam shot out of Mami-san's Tiro Finale attack, impaling the witch and seemingly finishing it off. I smiled to myself- which was something I haven't done in a long time... but something seemed off. Mami-san turned around, facing away from where the witch last sat. '_Why hasn't the barrier disappeared...?'_

My question was answered as quickly. I watched as the doll turned into a long, hideous and carnivorous caterpillar. Without a moments worth of hesitation, I transformed into my magical girl self, and summoned my trusty spear. Mami-san was entirely oblivious to all of this. I couldn't just stand around and watch her die.

As the witch swiftly hovered itself straight above Mami-san, I readied my weapon, preparing to attack. The caterpillar threw itself towards the ground with its mouth wide open. Gathering all of my strength, I threw my spear at the witch like one would with a javelin. Luckily, I managed to strike the witch, knocking it aside and off balance so it wouldn't hurt Mami-san.

I recklessly jumped into the battlefield, revealing my presence to her. She fell onto the ground in shock. I spun my spear around casually, trying to appear cool and collected in front of her.

"Were you planning to die today or something?" I questioned mockingly.

"Not... a chance..." she mumbled as she stood up. She was staggering around a lot, which concerned me, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to say anything. The soul gem on her hat began to darken.

"Hey hey, you've already used up so much magic. Don't you think you should take a brea-"

"My health and my limits are my business. You do not have to worry about me, Sakura-san." I grunted, feeling annoyed, but Mami-san had more to say.

"Besides, it's been a long time since we've been given the opportunity to fight alongside one another, so I'm not letting this fly by," she said confidently. For the first time in a few months, our eyes met.

"Tch, looks like I've got no choice," I replied, getting ready to fight again. "Let's go."

I heard Mami-san giggle right beside me as she summoned her signature musket weapon.

"Thank you for saving me, Sakura-san," she whispered quietly- almost as if she didn't want me to hear her.

The witch soon regained its composure, this time, angrier and frankly, hungrier than before. I lunged straight at it, hoping to be able to land another hit before it was able to attack us. Mami-san followed my lead, using her muskets to shoot rapidly at the witch. Thankfully, the witch was unable to summon its familiars due to its severely weakened state.

Before long, the witch was unable to move, despite it still being alive. Mami-san and I looked at each other, both knowing what to do next. I jumped up high into the air, readying my weapon once again.

"Tiro Finale!" Mami-san shouted again. As her musket released its powerful beam, I proceeded to plunge my spear towards the witch, finishing it off. The witch let out a jumbled scream as it began to dissipate into the air, leaving behind only a grief seed- which Mami-san desperately needed, especially after using so much magical power from her Tiro Finale attack.

Instantly, Mami-san collapsed onto the ground, heaving heavy breaths at a rapid pace. I collected the grief seed and pressed it against her soul gem, cleansing it, but it seemed as though she had already lost consciousness and was soundly sleeping away. I took a glance at her sleeping face, and smiled.

"_I'm glad I was able to see you again, Mami-san._"


End file.
